Options for those Students not looking to go to a 4-Year College after High School

There area many career paths a students can take after High School. College is the most popular path that parents and Counselors ingrain in their children/students as they go through the education system but for various reasons many students decide College isn’t for them. Those can range from the cost of College, to a lack of interest in attending College or just that they have other interests. Some careers don’t require any formal training at all; an artist, writer, or musician could hit it big without ever studying their art in a classroom setting. Here are some options for those students that are investigating other career paths:

• Gap Year: After High School one option for students is to take a gap year. This enables them to travel, investigate other options, etc. before starting that college journey. At the end of a gap year, a student should have a clearer idea of what they enjoy doing and what they do not and have learned what the rest of their life after college may be like.
• Community Colleges and Trade Schools: Community Colleges are less expensive and many schools offer an easy seamless transfer of credits to a 4-year University. Some community colleges also offer ‘dual enrollment’ with nearby high schools, so you may have earned some credits from there before graduating. Trade schools offer great programs to help students learn skills in many disciplines that are needed in society (AC/Heating, Welding, Graphic Design, CAD, etc.). Because of their shorter length, they are often more affordable than universities or even community colleges.
• Online Classes: Not wanting to attend classes in person? Many schools now offer online only classes where the student can earn a degree without ever having set foot on the campus.
• Military Careers: Military careers can be a great option. Students that pursue this career path can earn money that can be used for college later and also earn other great benefits for later in life (Pension, Healthcare, etc.)
• Internships: Not sure what they want to do in life yet? An internship can be a great way to explore career options. While internships are often done through schools or colleges, it’s entirely possible to apply for and gain an internship without the help of an institution. Employers are always looking for students they can hire as interns on an interim basis. There are many cases of interns that years later ended up running the company they interned for when they were in High School or College.

Want more information? Study.com put out an “Alternatives to 4 Year Universities Guide” you can check out here: https://study.com/resources/degree-alternatives